Company Confused!

I can't offer company suggestions for new CDL holders. There is plenty of information here to be gleaned regarding that. But, once you get a year or so experience, most of the carriers you may begin your driving career with ARE NOT who you will want to be running team with, long term so I would not factor "team prospect" too much into today's decision to get you started. Focus on terminal availability to home, company reputation (perceived or otherwise), overall training program. Initial pay and benefits should be secondary in your decision-making process. But if you do want to team in the beginning, you'll need to consider some like Schneider who have dedicated team fleets and a fair amount of good team freight (I assume), and train. But again, If I were an experienced man/wife team I would consider a lot of other outfits before I'd consider most of the outfits who train.

Being in VA, freight between west coast and eastern seaboard is ideal as opposed to a lot of (hopefully or your screwed) 900 mile "hot" loads that many will stick you with. The fewer loads/unloads you have to deal with inside of a month, the better off you'll be. That is true for single and team operation but there is a limited amount of 2000+ mile freight when compared to regional freight.

I suspect most recruiters will tell you what they think you want to hear, so word your questions carefully to gauge their response. Don't tell them what you're looking for, have them tell you what they claim they can provide and extrapolate from there what may be their reality.

 

I think the best information you could get is from another husband and wife team running on the road. Go to a truck stop and look around. If that team is not in a hurry I'm sure if you bought them a cup of coffee they'd tell you what's up. I was in the shop at an old 76 in Salt Lake and next to me was this Pete hotal and the wife there sitting shotgun. I said hello and we had a long talk and I believe she told me the whole story about running team with her husband. I ran team before but nothing like that. Since each person wants what they like I believe you'd have better knowledge going that way. We can all tell you what we know but I believe you need your information from a husband and wife team. The best would to let the wifes talk it over.

 

You are a husband wife team and do not have to sacrifice yourselves to the top 5 mega-carriers! Those companies are for newbies who have no clue what they are doing and just follow the herd!

You guys can afford to be picky! Take your time and do your homework. Like the other poster said, it may take going to a truck stop or rest stop and finding a good married team to talk to. Course they don't stop often but you will find one! Look for a bigger truck decorated by a woman and that's usually a husband wife team!

There are many unique opportunities out there also in trucking. My wife and I hauled horses commercially in a custom show truck cross country, going to all the race tracks and jumper barns/contests.

There are gigs like Nascar, Motorcycle circuits, concert tours are big for teams, CBS sports, all these gigs require teams and prefer husband/wife teams. A lot of them stay in fancy hotels too!

Trust me when I tell you forget about the Swifts, and Werners! We have been there, done that, made our money and retired (though I am bored off my butt!)

Celadon is a good team company. Fedex, Marten, Forward Air, Landstar, MCT, Central Ref, Panther, Severt, Honey, etc... The list of good teaming companies is long!

 

My understanding is neither have a CDL and they want to BECOME a h/w team. Big difference in options.

 

I found an O/O (2 trucks) that hired me on solo with no experience after completing school. He basically tossed me the keys and told me where to pick up the first load. If you can, both of you should get your CDL at a local community college like I did ($1000, much cheaper than the private schools), and then see if you can find a smaller O/O that will put you in a truck together.

 

If you are going to choose to work for an owner operator be very weary. Lots of horror stories out there about getting paid and such. Also make sure they can keep a team busy. If you are running less than 5000 miles a week it is not going to be worth it.